Automatic record changer for phonographs



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AUTOMATIC RECORD CHANGER FOR PHONOGRAPHS l2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 6, 1934 Aug. 24, 1937. A. comme 2,090.746

AUTOMATIC RECORD CHANGER FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Dec. 6, 1934 l2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 24, 1937. A. COMPARE 2,090,745

AUTOMATIC RECORD CHANGER FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Dec. 6, 1934 l2 Sheets-Sheet 3 @HIM/kwh, E AT1-LY.

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AUTOMATIC RECORD CHANGER FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Dec. 6, 1934 l2 Shz-JelZs--SheefJ 6 F ig. 5c.

ATTORNEYS Augc 24, 1937. A. COMPARE 2,090,746

AUTOMATIC RECORD CHANGER FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Deo. 6, 1954 12 Sheets-Sheet '7 Anger@ Gamm (N VE NTOR,

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AUTOMATIC RECORD CHANGER FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Dec. 6, 1934 l2 SheebS'fSheet 8 Albero Compay-e,

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Aug. 24, 1937. A. COMPARE 2,090,746

AUTOMATIC RECORD CHANGER FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Dec. 6, 1934 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 A L A mi Y v W A P W T m M O C v 1 NN @Xw o N L MQ n l u s1 l'vdlm Aug. 24, 1937. A. COMPARE 2,090,746

AUTOMATIC RECORD CHANGER FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Deo. 6, 1934 l2 Sheets-Sheet 1G Anacapri-o ComFof-G.

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l AUTOMATIC RECORD CHANGER FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Dec. 6, 1954 l2 Sheets-Sheet l2 Alber-Fo COWPOWQ [N VE NTOZd UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC RECORD CHANGER FOR PHONOGRAPHS London, England Application December 6, 1934, Serial No. 756,254 In Great Britain April 19, 1934 17 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanisms for playing a number of gramophone records in succession. The many types of mechanism designed for this purpose all involve means for moving the pick-up or tone arm away from the turntable at the end of the playing of a record or on the actuation of a device for stopping the playing, and means for returning the pick-up to the appropriate position on the record to begin playing. Many of the prior mechanisms have, however, only been able to play records of one diameter, that is to say, any given set of records to be played in succession must all have been of one diameter. Those mechanisms that have been able to play records of different diameters, which may conveniently be described as mixed records, have generally been extremely complicated and expensive. The invention aims at providing an improved and simple mechanism capable of playing mixed records and arranged so that it is particularly easily loaded with records.

The invention makes use of what may be termed a magazine post, that is to say a post located above the turntable at least during the playing of the records and adapted to support them, the records being released from the post one by one to drop on to the turntable.

According to the invention a mechanism comprises a magazine post located above the turntable during the playing of the records and adapted to support the records, means for releasing the records one by one from the magazine post, a number of feelers interconnected so that their movements must be simultaneous and similar and disposed about the path of the edge of any record above a predetermined minimum diameter so as to be engaged by any such record as it falls and displaced by the record to an extent that corresponds to the diameter of the record, and means for moving the pick-up or tone arm inwards to an extent controlled by said feelers. By such an arrangement records of three or more different diameters may be played.

According also to the invention a magazine post comprises at least one fixed part and at least one movable part capable of moving relatively to the xed part into a position in which the post constitutes a smooth spindle on which the records may easily be threaded and into another position in which the post presents a shoulder engaging the underneath of the lowermost record and supporting the stack of records. Preferably the magazine post includes a further movable part adapted on moving to engage the edge of the central aperture of the lowermost record and to push this laterally until the central aperture passes over the shoulder and the record drops from the post.

A magazine post according to the invention may be made completely self-contained so that it acts as an independent unit, alone serving to support the records during the whole time that they have to be supported but capable of being made smooth to facilitate loading.

In order that this invention may be the more clearly understood and readily carried into eiect, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, which il* lustrate by way of example and not of limitation one convenient embodiment of this invention, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete machine.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan thereof,

Figure 3 is an underplan, and

Figure 4 is a section through the apparatus taken in a vertical plane.

Figures 5, 5a, 5b and 6, 6a are detailed perspective views of the record feed and its associated mechanism.

Figs. 5c, 5d, and 6b are sections through the record feed and its associated mechanism in three different conditions of the same.

Figures 7 and 8 are detailed views of the release mechanism.

Figure 9 is a further detailed View of part of the mechanism.

Figure 10 is a local section through part of the bridge structure showing the mounting of the pick-up arm.

Figure 1l is a perspective View of the operating mechanism.

Figure 12 is an underplan view of the turntable.

Figure 13 is a view showing the stop on the underside of the turntable.

Figure 14 is a local section Ill-I4 of Figure 2.

Figures 15, 16, and 17 are detail views showing the means for setting the mechanism in accordance with the diameter of the record fed.

Figure 18 is a detailed underplan view showing one position of the pick-up arm control frame.

Figure 19 is a similar view showing the; same parts in a diierent position.

Figure 20 is a detail view showing the gauge arm returning mechanism.

Figure 21 is a View showing the repeat and reject mechanism in two different positions.

Figure 22 shows an electrical circuit diagram illustrating the manner in which the switches and motor are connected.

Referring now to the drawings, the apparatus therein illustrated comprises a motor board |60 which may be provided with down-turned edges 26| so as toprovide under the motor board an enclosed space |62 within which the major part of the mechanism is enclosed (see Figure 4). l The motor ID3 may be definitely secured to the underside of the motor board |96, if desired, but

it is preferred to mount the motor itself definitely on a sub-motor board |654 on which the motor board Ill@ above referred to is in turn mounted. l On the upper surface of the motor board is disposed the turntable |65, this turntable being coupled up with the motor in any way, say, for example, by means of a tapered spindle |66 fixed to the underside of the turntable, which spindle takes into a correspondingly tapered sleeve III'I mounted in a bush |68 in the motor board. The lower end of the sleeve lill projects beyond the lower end of the bush |66 and is provided with clutch slots |69 adapted to be engaged by like projections on the motor spindle so that the sleeve lill and hence the turntable |65 may be driven by the motor |63. The turntable |05 is provided with an upwardly projecting spindle HB which is of telescopic construction.

A bridge structure i l I is provided on the motor board Ill@ to span the turntable diametrically. This bridge structure is of U-shape in cross-section and near the centre a forked rod H2 projects downwards from it. This rod encloses a second forked rod 2| 8 pivoted at H211, the arms of which are united in an offset base H3. 'Ihe rods H2 and EIS together constitute the magazine post, and the release member is constituted by a lever IIS, which is also pivoted at ||2a and which is formed with a toe H9 that moves just above the upper surface Ilft of the base I I3 when the lever H8 is rocked. The rod H2 is eccentric to the turntable spindle H6, but the base I I3 is normal-ly concentric with the turntable spindle,

since the rod 2I8 which carries the base is subjected to the action of a spring 2636. When a set of records is to be threaded on the magazine post the rod 2l8 is rocked to bring the base II3 concentric with the rod H2 as shown in Figure 6 and in Figure 6b; and when the records are on the post the rod 2I8 is allowed to rock back again so that the surface H2 forms a shoulder which supports the records as shown in Figure 5c. During the actual loading of the records on the post the turntable spindle H6 may be depressed against an internal spring (see Figure 4). The normal position of the various parts during the playing of a record is shown in Figure 4, where there is` a stack of records H'l on the magazine post.

The rod 2|6 is actually rocked by the. rotation of a cam 2|? carried on a spindle 2|l which is furnished with an operating knob 2 I5. When the knob 2|5 is turned from the position shown in G5 Figure 6 to that shown in Figure 5 after a set of records has been threaded on the post, it serves to maintain the base I I3 eccentric to the rod H2 and thus to lock the records II'I on the post.

7 0 The release of the lcwermost record is effected by the release lever H8. This is rocked through the medium of a connecting rod |63 (Figures 7 and 8) which is connected to an arm IIBa rigid with the lever l IB. When rocking occurs, the toe H9 engages the edge of the central aperture of the lcwermost record and pushes 1t until the aperture registers with the base H3 as shown in Figure 5d, whereupon the record falls by gravity onto the, turntable and over the turntable spindle. To allow the lcwermost record to slide laterally on the base H4, the rod H2 is cut away somewhat, as shown at H5.

The records abo-Ve the lowermost record are unaffected by the movement of the lever I I8, but when the lever I I8 returns to its normal position, the whole set of records moves down until that record which is now the lowest rests on the shoulder H13 of the base II3.

That part of the. rod II2 which lies immediately above the cut away part H5, serves as an abutment II5a.. The height of this abutment H50, above the surface H4 of the base |I3 is slightly greater than the thickness of each record that the mechanism is designed to play. Thus, when the lcwermost record is moved laterally to enable its central aperture to clear the base II3 and fall onto the turntable, the lcwermost record but oney is prevented from moving laterally by the abutment I|5a, so) that there is no risk of the lcwermost record carrying one or more records laterally upon it and of two or more records being discharged simultaneously on to the turntable.

The sleeve |01 driven by the motor |03, asl above described, is provided With a worm wheel |20 which engages with a pinion |2I loosely mounted on a main control shaft |22 which is rotatably mounted in brackets |23 on the upper side of the motor board |00. At the appropriate time, this pinion |2| is adapted to be coupled up to the main control shaft I22 so as to drive the same, and for this purpose the pinion I2| is provided at one end with a ratchet wheel |24 and on the control shaft |22 is fixed a collar |25 having mounted thereon a spring-controlled pawl I 26, the spring |21 of which functions normally toy keep the pawl |26 in engagement with the ratchet |24 so that the control shaft |22 is driven. This pawl is, however, provided with a curved extending arm |28 which, at a certain point, is adapted to pass through an aperture |29 in the motor board |00 so that its outer curved surface bears upon the upper face of an arm |3I (hereinafter termed the release arm) pivoted at |32 on the underside of the motor board |00. When the extended arm |28 of the pawl 26 bears upon the upper face of the release arm I3I further movement of the arm |28 is prevented (see the upper view in Figure 21) but the collar |25 continues its movement slightly and so rocks the pawl arm |26 and dsengages the pawl from the ratchet |24. When the pawl |26 is disengaged from the ratchet |24, the whole of the mechanism is at rest, the motor |03 merely driving the pinion I2I idly on the main control shaft |22.

In order to set the mechanism in operation again, it is necessary to release the pawl arm |26 from the release arm I3I, and this is done by swinging the release arm I3| about its pivot |32 so as to clear the same from the pawl arm |26. The manner in which this is automatically effected at the appropriate moment will be hereinafter described.

Pick-up arm mounting The pick-up arm |33 is mounted in one of the vertical parts of the bridge structure III (see Figure 10) which is cut away as at |34 so as to allow of the necessary movement of the pick-up arm |33. The end of the pick-up arm |33 within ...y vuur/1i, au im iuwci uuu., pl'UJtICLS DelOW the level of the motor board and is attached to a control frame |36 which extends horizontally under the motor board |00 (see Figures 4, 18, and 19). The shape of this control frame will be described hereinafter. It will be appreciated that this control frame |36 moves with the pick-up arm |33, the arc through which it moves being the same as that through which the pickup arm moves.

Control means The mechanism must, it will be appreciated, function when the playing of one record has finished and must remain idle until the playing has finished. From the above description of the release arm |3| and method of driving the main control shaft |22, it will be appreciated that all that is necessary is that the release arm |3| should be moved from the position shown in the upper view in Figure 21 to the position shown in the lower view in Figure 21 at the end of the playing of one record and that all the necessary movements of the mechanism should be effected in a single turn of the main control shaft |22. The manner in which the single turn of the control shaft |22 is used to effect all the necessary movements will be hereinafter described, but I will now describe the means whereby the mechanism is set in motion at the required moment. The mechanism comprises an arm |31 which is pivoted as at |38 on the underside of the motor board |00 (see Figure 11) near the pick-up arm control frame |36 and which on `that side which projects towards the pick-up arm control frame has provided about a disc |39 forming the pivot boss a further lever |40 mounted friction-tight thereon so that the arm |31 and the lever |40 normally move as a unit about the pivot |38. This arm |31 is hereinafter called the control arm and the lever |40 is provided with a downwardly depending pin |4| which lies in the path of a lug |42 on the pick-up arm control frame |36. Thus, as the pick-up arm control frame |36 gradually moves over due to the radially inward {control arm |31 is provided with a pivoted armA |43 (hereinafter termed the upturned ,endV of the control arm). This upturned end |43 of the controfarm |31 passes through a slot in the motor board |00 under the turntable, and that face of the upturned end which is remote from the centre of the turntable is curved to cylindrical form. as at |44 (see Figure l2).

Appropriately mounted on the underside of the turntable |05 is a lug |45, the inner face |45 of which, i. e., the part facing the centre of the turntable, is shaped similarly to the face |44 of the upturned end |43 of the control arm |31 but which, in addition, is provided with a tail part |46 which extends radially outward.

This lug |45 is, of course, maintained at a fixed distance from the centre of the turntable and rotates in a circle with the turntable (see (Figure 12).

The upturned end |43 of the control arm |31 1s the turntable H15 (see Figure 12), and it will be seen that, as the pick-up gradually moves towards the centre of the record, so will the upturned end |43 of the control arm |31 approach the circle of rotation of thellug |45 until finally it will be engaged by the lug 45 as it travels round. The radial movement of the upturned end |43 of the control arm |31' for each rotation of the turntable is very small and thus, when the lug |45 engages with the upturned end of the control arm, it will only be the curved surfaces 44 and |45 which will contact and the lug |45 will push the upturned end |44 of the control arm |31 back until it clears the same. The movement of the control arm |31 is allowed to take place by a small amount of give or movement of the friction-tight joint between the control arm |31` and the lever |40 pivoted thereon. Thus the control lever |40 Will continue its gradual swing under the influence of the movement imparted to the pick-up control frame due to the sound track unimpeded, whilst the upturned end of the control arm |31 will remain at or closely adjacent to the circle of rotation of the lug |45. The lug |45 will engage with the upturned end |43 of the control arm |31Vat each rotation of the turntable since the radial movement of the upturned end |43 of the control arm |31 for any one normal rotation of the turntable is insufficient to cause the same to clear the lug. Now, at the end of the playing of the record, the needle enters a quick spiral groove and, during the rotation of the turntable, the movement of the pick-up arm will be comparatively great. This movement of the pick-up arm will, of

course, be transmitted to the control lever Y and is such that it moves the upturned end |43 of the control arm |31 clear of the lug |45 whilst leaving it, however, still in the path of the tail |46 on the lug |45. Thus, when the lug |45 reaches the position of the uptlnned end |43 of the control arm, the tail |46 engages with the same (see the broken line position of Figure 12). Now this arrangement of the tail |46 of the lug |45 with the control arm |31 is entirely different to the engagement of the lug |45 itself with the same for when the lug |45 engages with the upturned end |43 of the control arm |31 it is merely a matter of two oppositely disposed curved surfaces (|44 and |45) rubbing one over the other and so the friction-tight joint between the control arm |31 and the control lever |40 gives. When the tail |46 of the lug |45 engages with the upturned end |43 of the control arm |31 it engages not with the curved surface |44 thereon but with the side, thereby depressing the upturned arm pivoted on the end of the control arm |31, the tail |46 finally sliding over the arm |43 Attached to the arm |31 is a further arm |41 which is bent downwardly to take over the release arm |3|\. Thus, as the arm |43 swings about its pivot, it takes with it the further arm |41. `VVThis movement causes the release arm to be swung about its pivot to release the pawl arm. The movement of the release arm |3| is clockwise as seen in Figure 21 so that the arm |28 slips over the right hand edge of the release arm |3| and the pawl |26 is free to engage the ratchet |24. A slot |30 is provided in the release arm |3| because the latter is returned to its normal position (i. e. that shown in the upper part of Figure 21) before the arm |28 has rotated very far. In the absence of the slot |30, the release arm would, upon such return movement, foul the the release arm is held until the quick movement of the pick-up arm takes place. When the release arm is moved, the pawl arm is disengaged and the spring on the pawl arm engages the pawl with the ratchet. The... main control shaft is, therefore, coupled up with the motor and is caused to rotate.

Pick-up arm raising means It will be appreciated that the pick-up must be l raised clear of the record that has just been played before it is swung outwardly and also before a new record is fed from the store to the turntable. This is effected by means of a cam |4R8on the main control shaft |22 which is in the form of a disc provided with a flat |49. This cam |48 engages a bell crank lever |50,\,|5| pivoted in a bracket |52 on the underside of the motor board |00 and extending as to one arm |50 up through an aperture |53 in the motor board |00 so that it may be engaged by the cam |48. The horizontal arm |5| of this bell crank lever |50, |5| engages in a member |54 pivoted as at |55 on the underside of the motor board |00. 'Ihe free end of this pivoted member |54 at all times engages with the pick-up arm control frame |36.""Now, in addition to the swinging movement in a horizontal plane necessary for the playing of the record, the pick-up arm must, of course, be capable of a certain amount of movement in a vertical plane in order that the pick-up may from time to time as is necessary be raised clear of the record. This is elfected by mounting the vertical tube |35 in the bridge structure to which the pick-up arm |33 is xed, on horizontal pivots |56 within the bridge structure. The playing position of the pick-up arm is down, and this will, of course, result .in the forward edge of the pick-up arm control frame |36 which extends under the bridge structure also being down. The pick-up arm control frame |36 bears on the pivoted member |54 above described and so depresses the same. In order, therefore, to raise the pick-up arm, it is necessary to raise the pivoted member |54 and this is eiected by means of the bell crank lever |50, |5| The normal at rest position of the cam |48 on the main control shaft |22 is with the flat |49 50 bearing against the vertical arm |50 of the bell crank lever |50, |5|, and this allows the pivoted member |54 to fall and hence allows the pick-up arm to move into its playing position. As soon, however, as the main control shaft |22 com- 55 mences to rotate, the flat |49 on the cam |48 moves away from the vertical arm |50 of the bell crank lever |50, |5| which is thereupon engaged by the circular part of the cam |48. This swings the bell crank lever |50, |5|, raises the pivoted member |54 and hence raises the pick-up arm |33 clear of the record. This position, the pick-up arm raised, will be maintained until the end of the rotation of the main control shaft |22, when the flat |49 again comes into engagement with the vertical arm |56 of the bell crank lever |59, |5| and allows the pick-up arm |33 to fall. The pick-up |33 is, therefore, raised clear of the record immediately the record is played and is only lowered so as to be capable of again engaging with the record at the end of the complete sequence of movements.

Means for moving pick-up arm outwardly After the pick-up has been raised clear of the record it is necessary that it should be moved outfrom the store on to the turntable, and this movement must be sufficient to allow the largest size of record that is to be played to fall. This movement is effected through the intermediary of the pick-up arm control frame |36 in the following manner. At one end of the main control shaft |22 is disposed a bevel pinion |51 which engages with a further bevel pinion |51 mounted on a short vertical shaft |58 journalled in a suitable bearing |59 in the motor board |00. This short vertical shaft |58 is, below the motor board, provided With an arm or plate |60 on which, at a point |6| eccentric with respect to the centre of the short vertical shaft |58, is pivoted a bell crank lever |62, |63. This bell crank lever is controlled by a tension spring |64 in such a manner that, as viewed from above the motor board, the bell crank lever |62, |63 is urged in a clockwise direction, it being capable, however, of a limited amount of movement in an anti-clockwise direction against the action of the tension spring |64. The end of one of the arms |63 of this bell crank lever |62, |63 (the leading arm when viewed from above as the vertical shaft rotates in a clockwise direction) is provided with two pins |65 and |66, one (|65) of which extends upwardly, and the other |66 of which extends downwardly. The upwardly extending pin |65 plays a part only in the control of the return of the pick-up arm, as will be explained hereinafter.

Dealing now with the downwardly projecting pin |66, this is located within the pick-up arm control frame |36 and is so positioned relative to the shape of the pick-up control frame that the first part of its movement is idle (see Figure 18), i. e., it does not contact with the inner edge of the pick-up control frame or, alternatively, slides around a part which is concentric with respect to the axis of rotation of the short vertical shaft |56. Tt is during this idle movement of the pin that the pick-up is raised clear of the record, as above explained. When, however, the pick-up has been raised clear of the record, the pin |66 engages with an inwardly projecting part |61 on the pick-up arm control frame |36 (see Figure 19.) and since the only resistance to its moving the pick-up control frame is the inertia of the pick-up arm, it moves the pick-up arm control frame |36, the spring |64 controlling the bell crank lever` |62L |63 being suiiiciently strong to overcome this inertia and the pick-up arm is thereby swung clear of the records (see Figure 19). `The bell crank lever |62, |63-with its pin -continues to rotate until it has made a complete turn`- (the gear ratio of the/bevel gears being I to I) and then stops, due to the disconnection of the motor from the main control l shaft.

After the pin has moved the pick-up arm outwardly it has an idle movement during which the record is changed and then' has a working movement to return the pick-up arm (as hereinafter described) to complete the series of operation.

The changing of the record being the next operation of the series, this will now be described Record changing mechanism As above explained, in order to feed a new record from the store on to the turntable, it is merely necessary to move the finger ||8 over towards the off-set part H3 of the rod 2|8, when the lowermost record will fall on to the turntable under its own Weight.

Such a manner as to give the desired movement and above the pivot is connected to a connecting rod |68 which lies within the U-shaped section of the bridge structure and extends down one of the vertical parts thereof (the opposite part to that in which the pick-up arm is mounted, see Figures 7 and 8) to the underside of the motor board |00. In order, therefore, to change the record, it is merely necessary to move this connecting rod |68. To this end, the connecting rod |68, which is mounted in suitable slide bearings |69 within the vertical part of the bridge structure is, below the motor board, connected to a plate |10 which is pivoted intermediate its ends in downwardly depending brackets |1| on the underside of the motor board |00, this plate |10 extending towards the turntable. The inner end of the plate |10 has pivoted in it on a hori- 20 zontal axis |12 the lower turned-over end |13 of an arm |14 which extends up through the motor board |00 and is turned-over as at |15 so as to lie over the end of the main control shaft |22. At the appropriate point, the main control shaft |22 is provided with an outstanding boss |16 which, after the pick-up arm has been raised and moved outwardly, as above described, engages with the turned-over end |15 of the said arm |14 to raise the same (see Figure 7). In raising the arm |14 the boss |16 swings the pivoted plate |10 and so moves the connecting rod |68 to operate the finger ||8 in the desired manner. It is important to remember that the arm |14 with which the boss |16 on the main control shaft |22 engages is pivoted in the pivoted plate |10 in such a manner that it can be moved clear of the boss. The use of this mounting will be described hereinafter. The arm is, however, normally kept in such a position that it engages with 40 the boss |16.

Pick-up arm returning means.

and 17) Having raised the pick-up arm, moved the same 45 outwardly clear of the record and fed a fresh record on to the turntable, as above described,

it is now necessary to return the pick-up arm by an amount such that, when the pick-up is lowered, it shall be correctly positioned to com- 50 mence playing the record of the size in question. This is effected by feelers or gauge arms or plates |11 which project inwardly from the two vertical parts of the bridge structure the gauge arms, which are provided with down-turned 55 ends |18, being pivoted at |19 within the vertical parts 'of the bridge structure Each of the gauge arms or plates 11 is connected at its outer ends to a vertical connecting rod |80 which extends down the vertical part of the bridge struc- G0 ture and is connected at its lower end to one of the arms |8| of a bell crank lever |8|, |82 pivoted at |83. The other twov arms |82 of the bell crank levers are connected together by means of a rod |84 in such a manner that the gauge arms C5 |11 work in unison with one another and in such a manner that the displacement of the horizontal coupling rod |84 connecting the gauge arms together is dependent upon the arc through which the gauge arms are moved. The gauge arms pro- Tu' ject inwardly from the Vertical parts of the bridge structure over the turntable to such an extent that they are separated at their inner ends by an amount just slightly greater than the diameter of the smallest record to be played 75 on the device, say an eight inch record (see (Figures 15, 16,

sitioned below the record store and thus, as a record is fed from the store on to the turntable, it engages with the gauge arms and depresses the same by a certain amount (provided, of course, it is not a record of the smallest diameter to be played). In other words, the feeding of an eight inch record does not displace the gauge arms; the feeding of a ten inch record causes the gauge arms to swing about their pivots by a certain amount, and the feeding of a twelve inch record causes the gauge arms to swing about their pivots by a larger amount, due to its larger diameter as the gauge arms project over the turntable and have to be swung downwardly by a certain amount to allow the record to move past the same, the amount of swing necessary obviously depending on the diameter of the record.

After the feeding of the record, therefore, the horizontal coupling rod |84 under the motor board |00 can occupy one of three positions shown in Figures 15, 16, and 17, the actual position being selectively determined by the diameter of the record fed.

The pick-up arm is returned by reason of the downwardly depending pin |66 on the springcontrolled bell crank |62, |63 engaging with the nal part |85 of the pick-up arm control frame |36, and the arrangement is such that for an unimpeded movement of the spring-controlled bell crank the pick-up arm is returned by an amount which just positions it over the first sound groove of the smallest record to be played.

In order to control the return movement of the pick-up arm, therefore, it is merely necessary to couple the horizontal coupling rod |84 with the spring-controlled bell crank lever |62, |63 so that the pick-up arm is swung through an arc which is inversely proportional to the displacement of the horizontal coupling rod |84 which is, as above explained, dependent on the displacement of the gauge arms. This is done by means of a stirrup |86 on the horizontal coupling rod |84 which takes about a pin |81 on an arcuate lever |88 suitably pivoted on the underside of the motor board |00. This arcuate lever |88 is provided with an extension |88 having ratchet teeth |96 with which a spring-controlled pawl |95 engages to prevent the return movement of the arcuate lever |88. In this manner, the arc through which the arcuate lever |88 is swung is dependent on the arc through which the gauge arms |11 are swung by the feeding of the record to be played, and the arcuate lever |88 is held in its adjusted position; hence the gauge arms |11 are maintained in their depressed position. The gauge arms |11 are, however, spring controlled by a spring |92 so that, when the pawl I6! is released from the ratchet teeth |90 on the extension |89 on the arcuate lever |88, they are returned to their raised position and the whole of the parts are likewise reset. The means for removing the pawl |9| from the ratchet teeth |90 will be described hereinafter. Now normally, i. e., when there is no movement of the horizontal coupling rod |84, the arcuate lever |88 is clear of the upwardly projecting pin |55 on the spring controlled bell crank lever |62, |63. Hence, as above explained, the spring controlled bell crank lever is not moved out of its normal position and the pick-up arm is swung right back towards the centre of the record. When, however, the arcuate lever I 88 is moved, it becomes positioned in the path of the upwardly projecting pin |65 on the spring controlled bell crank lever and, as the the ratchet and pawl mechanism, the spring controlled bell crank lever is swung on its pivot against the action of its controlling spring |99, and this movement reduces the distance between the downwardly directed pin and the axis of rotation of the short vertical shaft (see Figure 16) Since it is upon the radius of the circle around which the pin moves on the last part oi its movel0 ment that the amount by which the pick-up arm is returned depends, it will be appreciated that the distance through which the pick-up arm is returned will be dependent on the positioning of the arcuate lever. Hence, the movement transmitted to the arcuate lever is such that, for its smaller movement, the pick-up arm is returned through an arc which positions the pick-up over the iirst groove of a ten inch record and, for the larger of its two movements, the p-ick-up arm is returned by a less amount such that the pick-up becomes positioned over the iirst groove of a tw-elve inch record.

By this means the size of the record to be played determines the nal positioning of the pick-up arm.

Gauge arm returning means In order to enable a sequence of records of different diameter to be played, the gauge arms must be raised before the next record is fed to the turntable in order that they may be ready to set the mechanism in accordance with the size of the record. This is secured by the following means. Suitably mounted on the main control shaft |22 is a pin |99 having an inclined surface. This pin |911 is so positioned that shortly after the commencement of movement of the main control shaft |22, i. e shortly after a record has been played, it engages through an aperture E99 in the motor board |00 with a pin |91 on a lever` |98 pivoted on the underside of the motor board |00. This lever |98 is pivoted about the same aXis as the pawl |9| and, when moved by the pin |90, swings in an anti-clockwise direction as seen in Figures 18 and 19. The lever |90, during this movement, bears on a lug 000 (see Figures 18 and 19) formed on the pawl i9! and moves the latter out of engagement with the ratchet teeth |90. As soon as the pawl |9| is removed from the ratchet teeth |90 the gauge arms Ill will rise to their normal position under the action of the spring |92 controlling the same.

It will thus be seen that the gauge arms |11 are maintained in their depressed position for the whole time that the record is being played and are only raised to their position ready to set the mechanism for a new record after the preceding record has been played. The re-setting of the gauge arms takes place whilst the pick-up arm l is being raised and before the next record is fed 00 to the turntable.

Automatic cnt-off mechanism Means are provided to switch oi the motor as soon as all the records have been played, and 65 such means comprise two switches |99, 200 in parallel with one another in the motor circuit. One of these switches |99 is controlled by a cam 20| on the main control shaft |22 so that at that position of the main control shaft when the pick-up arm moves outwardly to its outermost position, the switch |99 is opened. Thus, this switch is opened every time a record is changed but, as it has in parallel with it the further switch 299, the motor circuit is not broken and the motor 75 does not stop. The second switch 200 is controlled remains closed as long as there are any records on the rod, and only becomes open when all the records have been fed on to the turntable. Thus the motor circuit will only be broken at the end of playing of the whole of the records. The second switch control means above referred to comprise a pair of arms 202 pivoted together scissors fashion as at 203 (see Figures 5 and 6) at the centre of the horizontal part of the bridge structure These arms 202, which are controlled by means of springs 204, extend downwardly and bear at their lower ends on the uppermost record on the store. The lower ends may be provided with rubber pads 205 to prevent the same damaging the sound grooves of the record. 'I'hese arms 202, therefore, serve as pressure members to keep the lowermost record on the shoulder formed by the off-set part ||3 of the rod 2I8 ready for feeding on to the turntable. So long, therefore, as there are any records on the rod, these arms 202 are prevented from moving down under the action of their springs 204 but, as soon as the last record has been fed to the turntable, the arms fall to their lowermost position. One of these arms 202 is provided with a recess or cut away part 206 under which is disposed the turned-over part 201 of a lever 208 pivoted at 209 in the bridge structure. Th'e further end of this lever 208 is bevelled off as at 2 I0 so as to be capable of engagement with a nick 2|| in a sliding switch control bar 2|2 mounted in the bridge structure. This switch bar 2|2 is provided with a projection 2|3 adapted to engage with the spring blade of the switch 200. So long as there are any records on the rod ||2 the arms 202 do not fall to their lowest position and hence the one arm does not engage with the turned-over end 207 of the lever 208 (see Figure 5a.). When the last record has been released, the arms 202 fall down to their lowest position, the recess 206 engages With the turned-over end of the lever 298 and swings it about its pivot tov remove the bevelled end 2|0 from the nick 2|| whereupon the switch control bar 2 2 moves back under the action oi a spring (not shown) and the switch 200 opens. During this movement the parts move from the positions shown in Figure 5a to the positions shown in Figure 6a. When the mechanism is again loaded with records the arms 202 are again raised so that the lever 208 is again free to take up the position shown in Figure 5a but it cannot do this until the switch bar 2 |2 is returned to the position shown in Figure 5a. This necessary movement of the switch bar 2|2 is imparted manually by pressing it in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow in Figure 5a. Such manual operation of the switch bar 2|2 is effected when it is desired to set the whole mechanism into operation and the switch bar 2|2 is then pressed inwards far enough for the bevelled end 2|0 of the lever 208 to fall into the nick 2|| and keep the switch 200 closed. The manner in which the switches |99 and 200 are connected to the motor |03 is indicated in Figure 22.

Thus the motor circuit will be completed until after the last record has been played.

In addition to the cam 2 the spindle 2|4 also carries a cam surface 2|6 which, when the knob 2 9 is turned from the position shown in Figure 5 to that shown in Figure 6, bears on the arms 202 to raise them. The gauge arms |11 are also connected through flexible wires or the like 2 |9 each t0 one of the arms 220, 22| of a bell crank lever this bell crank lever being connected through a ilexible wire or the like 223 to a pin 224 on the spindle 2|4. This arrangement facilitates the 5 charging of the record store because when the cam 2|1 is turned to bring the rod 2|8 into the position shown in Figure 6 so as to provide a smooth post onto which a stack of records can easily be threaded, the gauge arms are simultaneously lowered so that they do not impede the manual manipulation of the stack of records. When the knob 2 5 is returned to its normal position (Figure 5) to bring the rod 2|8 to its record supporting position, the cam surface 2|6 allows 15 the arms 292 to bear on the upper record to keep the lowest record in the correct position, The gauge arms are simultaneously allowed to return to their normal positions.

20 Repeat mechanism (Figure 21) It may be desired from time to time to play again a record which has just been played instead of passing immediately on to the next record. The means for enabling this to be done comprise 25 a knob 225 suitably mounted on a spindle 226 in the motor board, this spindle 226 being provided on the underside of the motor board with an eccentric projection 221 which is located in a right angle slot 228 formed by bending one end of a 30 longitudinal rod 229 slidably mounted in bearings 23D on the underside of the motor board |90. By this mounting of the eccentric projection 221, the knob 225 can assume three positions, one in which the offset direction of the projection lies idly 35 in the slot (see Figure 3), and the other two (see Figure 2l) in which it lies at right angles to the slot and parallel to the length of the longitudinal rod, one position on each side of the centre.

The centre position (Figure 3) is the normal 40 position in which the mechanism functions as above, and the other two positions are one Reject, the lower position of Figure 21 (which will be described hereinafter), and the other Repea Now for the repetition of a record, it is necessary to move the pick-up arm and it is necessary (l) to prevent the feeding of a new record and to prevent the gauge arms |11 returning to their raised position since, if they returned to 50 their raised position, the pawl would be removed from the ratchet on the arcuate lever and the pick-up arm would not return to the correct position unless it were the smallest size of record that was being played. It is for this reason that 55 the gauge arms are not raised until after the record has been played.

Movement of the longitudinal rod consequent upon the setting of the knob 225 to the repeat position (the upper position of Figure 2l) is 60 adapted to secure this operation as follows. At-

tached to the longitudinal rod 229 is an arm 232 having at one end a fork 233, this fork 233 taking about the turned-over arm 14 which is pivoted in the pivoted plate in such a manner as 65 to move the same clear of the boss. Thus, since this arm |14 is clear of the boss |16 a new record cannot be fed to the turntable. The end of the rod 229 remote from the knob 225 is bent upwardly as shown in Figure 11 and the arm or 70 lever |98 is caused to bear against this bent up part by a spring 49|. Thus when the rod 229 is moved to the repeat position (upper View in Figure 21), not only is the record feed mechanism rendered inoperative as a result of the movement 75 of the arm |14, but also the arm or lever |98 o A v A A a a a vnuv v1. van,

spring 40| to a position such that the pin |91 on the lever |98 is out of the path of the pin |94 on the control shaft |22. This movement of the lever |98 is anti-clockwise as seen in Figure 9 and clockwise as seen in Figures 18 and 19, which is to say that the lever |98 moves away from the lug 400 so that the pawl |9| is unaffected by the movement.

The arcuate arm |88, therefore, remains in its set position and the pick-up arm will be raised, moved outwardly and returned to its correct position without, however, the gauge arms being affected. Also, as described above no fresh record is fed to the turntable.

Reject mechanism 1n order to reject the record being played, i. e., to feed a new record on to the turntable, it is merely necessary to set the mechanism into operation again, and this is effected by turning the knob 225 to the reject position (the lower position of Figure 2l. This moves the rod 229 to the left (as seen in Figure 21) so that a collar 234 on the rod 229 engages the release arm |3| and moves it out of engagement with the arm |28 of the pawl |26. This results in the pick-up arm manipulating mechanism and record-changing mechanism being set into operation so that a new record is brought into playing position and played. When the rod 229 is put into the reject position, the arm |14 is moved to the position shown in the lower view in Figure 21 in which it could not be acted upon by the boss |16 for effecting the release of another record to be played. However, as soon as the operator releases the knob 225 after turning it to the reject position, a leaf spring 402 acts on the eccentric projection 221 to return the rod 229 to its central position so that the arm |14 returns to its central position in time to be engaged by the boss |16 for effecting the release of another record to be played. It will be appreciated, therefore, that while the knob 225 must be turned manually from the repeat position to the normal position, it returns to the latter position automatically from the reject position.

It will thus be seen that the device according to the present invention will enable records to be played one after the other (with repeat or reject at will) in a pre-selected order, irrespective of their diameter.

I claim:

1. In mechanism for playing in succession a number of talking machine records a magazine post, for supporting a stack of records, including relatively movable parts adapted to pass through the central apertures in said records, said parts being so formed that when in one position relatively to each other they provide a shoulder for supporting said stack but that when in another position relatively to each other they present a substantially smooth post, means for manipulating at least one part of said post to effect alternately a change over from said former position to said latter position for enabling a stack of records to be threaded easily upon said post and a change back to said first mentioned position to bring said shoulder to its operative position for supporting said stack, and a record releasing member adapted to extend through the central apertures in a stack of records supported by said post and operative to engage the edge of the central aperture of the lowermost record in the stack so as to impart lateral movement to this record suiricient to enable its central aperture to clear said shoulder thereby enabling the record to fall from said post.

2. In mechanism for playing in succession a number of talking machine records, a substantially vertical member formed at its lower end with a horizontal shoulder, and adapted to pass through the central apertures in a stack of records so that the latter are supported by said shoulder, a second member also adapted to pass through the stack of records and extending downwards substantially as far as said shoulder, means for moving one of said members relatively to the other into and out of a position in which said secon-d member covers said shoulder thereby providing a substantially smooth post upon which a stack of records may easily be threaded, a third member adapted to extend through the central apertures in the stack of records and formed with a lateral projection of thickness slightly less than the thickness of each record which the mechanism is designed to play, and means operative to move said third member so that said projection moves over said shoulder for pushing the lowermost record in said stack laterally by an amount sufficient to enable its central aperture to clear said shoulder with the result that said lowermost record falls out of engagement with said rstmentioned member.

3. In mechanism for playing in succession a number of talking machine records, a magazine post, for supporting a stack of records, including two relatively movable parts adapted to pass through the central apertures in said records, said parts being so formed that when in one position relatively to each other they provide a shoulder for supportin-g said stack but that when in another position relatively to each other said parts present a substantially smooth post, means for moving one of said parts relatively to the other to effect alternately a change over from said former position to said latter position for enabling a stack of records to be threaded easily upon said post and a change back to said rst-mentioned position to bring said shoulder to its operative position for supporting said stack, means operative to impart a lateral movement successively to each record in the stack to enable its central aperture to`clear said shoulder so that it falls from said post, a device adapted to engage and steady the uppermost record in the stack and arranged to move to a stationary position when this uppermost record is discharged from said post, and means operatively connected to said steadying device for rendering the mechanism inoperative upon such movement of said steadying device, said device being adapted to be acted upon by said meas'or moving one of said parts of said post relatively to the other of said parts and thereby to be shifted from said stationary position when said post is changed over from said first mentioned position to said smooth position.

4. In mechanism for playing in succession a number of records, a turntable for supporting records during playing, a bridge structure spanning said turntable, a magazine post for supporting a stack of records extending vertically downwards from said post towards the centre of said turntable and including relatively movable parts adapted to pass through the central apertures in said records, said parts being so formed that when in one position relatively to each other they provide a shoulder for supporting said stack but that when in another position relatively to each other they present a substantially smooth post,

means Ior manipulating at least one part of said post to eiiect alternately a change over from said former position to said latter position for enabling a stack of records to be threaded easily upon said post and a change back to said Iirstmentioned position to bring said shoulder to its operative position for supporting said stack, a record releasing member adapted to extend through the central apertures in a stack of reeords supported by said post and operative to engage the edge of the central aperture of the lowermost record in the stack so as to impart lateral movement to this record suicient to enable its central aperture to clear said shoulder thereby enabling the record to fall from said post to said turntable, operating means for said releasing member, and connecting means within said bridge structure operatively connecting said operating means with said releasing member.

5. In mechanism for playing in succession a number of talking machine records, a magazine post for supporting a stack of records, including two relatively movable parts adapted to pass through the central apertures in said records, said parts being so formed that when in one position relatively to each other they provide a shoulder for supporting said stack and an abutment on the side of said post remote from said shoulder at a point displaced above the levelY of said shoulder by an amount slightly greater than the thickness of each record that the mechanism is designed to play, but that when in another position relatively to each other said parts present a substantially smooth post, means ,for moving one of said parts relatively to the other to eiect alternately a change over from said former position to said `latter position for enabling a stack of records to be threaded easily upon said post and to eiect a change back to said first-mentioned position to bring said shoulder to its operative position for supporting said stack.

6, The combination claimed in claim 5 and;

a pivoted record releasing member adapted to extend through the central apertures in a stack of records supported by said shoulder and formed at its lower end with a toe adapted to slide beneath the lowermost record but one in said stack, and means for rocking said releasing member to bring said toe into engagement with the edge of the central aperture in the lowermost record in the stack and thus to impart a lateral movement to this record for enabling its central aperture to clear said shoulder while said abutment prevents lateral movement from being imparted to the lowermost record but one.

7. In automatic mechanism, including a soundbox or pick-up for playing in succession a number of talking machine records which may be of atv least three different diameters, a turntable for supporting said records during playing, a magazine post located above said turntable, means operative to cause records to pass downwards one by one from said post to said turntable, a plurality of feeler's arranged above and symmetrically about the periphery o1" said turntable and adapted to be engaged by the edge of each of the records that the mechanism is adapted to play, except records of the smallest diameter, as said record passes downwardly to the turntable, and to be displaced thereby to an extent corresponding to the diameter of said record, means interconnecting said feelers and operative to cause them to move simultaneously and similarly when engaged by a record, an ele- 

